The NHL on FOX
NHL on Fox is the branding formerly used for broadcasts of National Hockey League games that were produced by Fox Sports and televised on the Fox network from the 1994–1995 NHL season until the 1998–1999 NHL season. Although the Fox broadcast network no longer airs league telecasts, NHL games currently air on the Fox Sports Networks in the form of game telecasts that air on a regional basis, featuring local NHL teams that each of the regional networks have respective broadcast rights to air in their designated market. History On the heels of its surprise acquisition of the television rights to the National Football League in December 1993, Fox sought deals with other major sports leagues to expand its newly created sports division, opting to go after the rights to broadcast National Hockey League (NHL) games. CBS, which had just lost its NFL package (which primarily included the rights to regular season and playoff games from the National Football Conference) to Fox, was the network's primary competitor for the NHL package, hoping to replace some of the sports programming it had lost to the upstart network. Nevertheless, in a serious blow to the elder network, Fox outbid CBS for the NHL package as well. On September 9, 1994, the National Hockey League reached a five-year contract with Fox for the broadcast television rights to the league's games, beginning with the 1994–95 season. The network paid $155 million ($31 million annually) to televise NHL regular season and postseason games, considerably less than the $1.58 billion it paid for the NFL television rights. NHL's initial deal with Fox was significant, as a network television contract in the United States was long thought unattainable during the presidency of John Ziegler. For 17 years after the 1975 Finals was broadcast on NBC, there would be no national over-the-air network coverage of the NHL in the U.S. (with the exception of CBS' coverage of Game 2 of the 1979 Challenge Cup and Game 6 of the 1980 Stanley Cup Finals, and NBC's coverage of the NHL All-Star Game from 1990 to 1994) and only spotty coverage on regional networks. This was due to the fact that no network was willing to commit to carrying a large number of games, in turn, providing low ratings for NHL telecasts. ABC would eventually resume broadcasting regular NHL games (on a time buy basis through ESPN) for the 1992–93 season (and continuing through the 1993–94 season, before Fox took over for the next 5 seasons). Fox inaugurated its NHL coverage on April 2, 1995, towards the end of the 1994–95 regular season, with six games (between the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers; St. Louis Blues and Detroit Red Wings; Boston Bruins and Washington Capitals; Chicago Blackhawks and Dallas Stars; Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning; and the San Jose Sharks and Anaheim Ducks). [[Mike Emrick|'Mike Emrick']]' '''and [[John Davidson (hockey player)|'John Davidson']] served as the main broadcast team, while regionally distributed games were handled by a variety of announcers. For the first 4 years of the deal, James Brown and Dave Maloney hosted the show from the Fox Network Center studios in Los Angeles. For the 5th and final season, the hosts were Suzy Kolber and Terry Crisp. Occasionally, active NHL players such as Mike Modano would serve as guest analysts. FoxTrax Fox's NHL broadcasts are perhaps best remembered for its use of FoxTrax (colloquially called the "glow puck," "smart puck" or "super puck"), a specialized ice hockey puckdesigned for the network's NHL telecasts, which featured internal electronics that allow its position to be tracked. It was primarily used to visually highlight the puck on-screen and display a trail when the puck was moving rapidly. The FoxTrax puck, while considered to be generally popular according to Fox Sports, generated a great deal of controversy and criticism, especially in Canada, from longtime fans of the game, and was ridiculed by comedians on both sides of the border. Stanley Cup playoff coverage In the first 2 rounds of the playoffs, 2 games were televised each round and distributed regionally, unless other series involving other scheduled games were already finished. All-Star Game, Conference Finals, and Stanley Cup Finals For the All-Star Game, Conference Finals and Stanley Cup Finals, the games are national games were hosted from the arena. The 1996 and 1997 All-Star Games were televised in prime time. Stanley Cup Finals Fox split coverage of the Stanley Cup Finals with ESPN. Game 1 of the 1995 Stanley Cup Finals was the first Finals game shown on network television since 1980 and the first in prime time since 1973. Games 1, 5, and 7 were usually scheduled to be televised by Fox; and Games 2, 3, 4, and 6 were set to air on ESPN. However, from 1995 to 1998, the Finals matches were all four game sweeps; the 1999 Finals ended in six games. The consequence was that – except for 1995, when Fox did televise Game 4 – the decisive game was never shown on network television. Perhaps in recognition of this, Games 3 through 7 were always televised by ABC in the succeeding broadcast agreement between the NHL and ABC Sports/ESPN. Game 4 of the 1995 Final was notable because not only did the New Jersey Devils win the Stanley Cup, but also the team's main television play-by-play announcer, Mike Emrick announced it. Stanley Cup Finals broadcast schedules * 1995 – Games 1, 4, 5, 7 on Fox; Games 2, 3, 6 on ESPN * 1996 – Games 1, 3, 5, 7 on Fox; Games 2, 4, 6 on ESPN * 1997 – Games 1, 5, 6, 7 on Fox; Games 2, 3, 4 on ESPN * 1998 – Games 1, 5, 7 on Fox; Games 2, 3, 4, 6 on ESPN * 1999 – Games 1, 2, 5, 7 on Fox; Games 3, 4, 6 on ESPN The end of ''NHL on FOX Things ended badly between FOX and the league in 1999, when the NHL announced a new television deal with ESPN that also called for sister broadcast network ABC to become the new network television partner (as previously mentioned). FOX challenged that it had not been given a chance to match the network component of the deal, but ABC ultimately prevailed. Fox placed a bid for NHL broadcast rights when they came up for renewal in 2011, but dropped out of the running as a result of a bidding war between NBCUniversal and ESPN. NHL selected NBCUniversal bid (which owns NBC, Versus and USA Network), in a 10 year extension of its existing broadcast contract. Coverage overview Regular season Fox televised between 5 and 11 regionally distributed games on Sunday afternoons during the regular season, where anywhere from 3 to 6 games ran concurrently. All times below are Eastern. 1994–95 Main article: 1994–95 NHL season 1995–96 Main article: 1995-96 NHL season Notes * Denotes use of FoxTrax puck. 1996–97 Main article: 1996–97 NHL season 1997–98 Main article: 1997–98 NHL season Notes * FOX was initially scheduled to air a Pittsburgh Penguins-Tampa Bay Lightning game on April 4. 1998–99 Main article: 1998–99 NHL season ^The Pittsburgh-New York Rangers game on April 18 (Wayne Gretzky's final game before retirement) began on MSG in the New York market as WNYW (FOX's flagship station) aired a Yankees game against the Detroit Tigers. The station would join the hockey game game midway through the second period. The week before (April 11), WNYW aired another Yankees game over the Pittsburgh-Detroit NHL game, which instead aired on MSG from start to finish. Stanley Cup playoff coverage In the first 2 rounds of the playoffs, 2 games were televised each round and distributed regionally, unless other series involving other scheduled games were already finished, then that games in televised nationally. 1995 Main article: 1995 Stanley Cup Playoffs Notes * The May 14 game in Quebec City was the final home game ever for the Quebec Nordiques. The team became the Colorado Avalanche in the fall of 1995. * The June 24 game in New Jersey was the Stanley Cup Finals' deciding game as New Jersey Devils swept Detroit Red Wings. Although FOX did retain rights to certain other games where the Cup could be decided (including any and all Game 7s), 1995 was the only time during its run as NHL broadcaster that FOX actually carried the Cup-clinching victory on-air. 1996 Main article: 1996 Stanley Cup Playoffs Notes * Denotes use of FoxTrax puck. * The April 28 game in Winnipeg was the final home game for the original Winnipeg Jets. The franchise became the Phoenix Coyotes in the fall of 1996. 1997 Main article: 1997 Stanley Cup Playoffs 1998 Main article: 1998 Stanley Cup Playoffs 1999 Main article: 1999 Stanley Cup Playoffs Personalities Broadcast teams * Mike Emrick-'John Davidson' * Sam Rosen-Joe Micheletti * Kenny Albert-Gary Green, Denis Potvin, Craig Simpson,Terry Crisp, Peter McNab * Pat Foley-Mickey Redmond * Randy Hahn-Pete Stemkowski * Rick Jeanneret-Denis Potvin * John Kelly-Craig Simpson * Mike Lange-Paul Steigerwald * Josh Lewin-Daryl Reaugh * Jiggs McDonald-Peter McNab * Bob Miller-Gary Green * Howie Rose-Chico Resch * Dick Stockton-Mike Eruzione * Dave Strader-Denis Potvin Studio commentators * James Brown * Dave Maloney * Suzy Kolber * Terry Crisp Reporters * Pierre McGuire * Sandra Neil * Chris Simpson Ratings Stanley Cup Finals Game 4 of the 1995 Stanley Cup Finals drew a 4.7 rating and a 10 share. In the New York City market (on Fox owned-and-operated station WNYW), the game drew a 10.6 rating and 21 share; in Detroit (on Fox affiliate, now owned-and-operated station, WJBK), it drew a 14.1 rating and 26 share.7 Regular season All-Star Game